During a child’s first five years, the brain undergoes its most dramatic growth, making these years a time of rapid social, emotional and cognitive development. Unfortunately, due to the absence of a comprehensive early childhood system, many children in Connecticut lack access to high quality early learning environments to prepare them for success in school.
We believe that Connecticut can do better in addressing educational disparities and ensuring quality services that support early childhood development for every child. Research shows that effective systems address such issues as governance, quality, professional development, and finance.
Over the last 15 years, communities and partners from across Connecticut have come to understand that, in order for all children to have access to high quality programs, we also need:
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Local early childhood councils that have the authority to allocate resources,
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Parent leadership on the council and in programs that serve children,
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Networks of people who analyze, reflect, organize, and act on behalf of children,
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Local leadership in both municipal government and school districts that is fully aware and engaged in early childhood care and education,
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A statewide council or structure that builds on the strengths of local early childhood councils and supports their work,
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Results-based state and community plans to guide decisions about how resources are used,
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Effective communication and coordination among state and local efforts, and
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Ways to measure both local and statewide progress.
Connecticut has worked diligently on many of the elements of a system, and we have many products that can serve as building blocks. As a state, we are still challenged to create a coherent, effective early childhood system. We need a vision to serve as a roadmap for making progress now and in the future.
With the support of the Interaction Institute for Social Change, the Graustein Memorial Fund is convening a group of diverse stakeholders to create that vision. We invite you to join us on this journey. We will be updating this site regularly as the work moves forward and we hope that you will share your thoughts with us by posting comments.
